the power of happiness
DESCRIPTION
Presentation from Fast Company Innovation Uncensored 11/08/2012 by Jennifer Aaker on the definition and role of happiness in our lives and work.TRANSCRIPT
happiness The power of
Jennifer Aaker Stanford Graduate School of Business
@aaker
Why does happiness
matter?
-0.6 -0.4 -0.2 0 0.2 0.4 0.6
Exploration strivings
Creative episodes
Group cooperativeness
Likability as work partner
Customer service
Job performance
Organizational CitizenshipBehavior
Turnover intentions
Job burnout
Absenteeism
Lyubormirsky, King and Diener (2005)
ROI of happiness
Happy customers are
more loyal.
They pay more for a
great experience.
They talk about their
brands.
Misperceptions of happiness
We think we know what
makes us happy.
(But we don’t really).
0
5
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er
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onse
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As wealth increases,
happiness does not. Easterlin Paradox (1974)
Pretty Happy
Very Happy
Not Very Happy
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis (GDP data) General Social Survey Data from 1972 – 2006. Question : How happy are you? (Very Happy, Pretty Happy, Not Very Happy). N = 1500.
We don’t accurately
remember what makes
us happy.
Aaker, Drolet and Griffin (2008)
When we do achieve
’happiness,’ it fades. We
adjust surprisingly quickly.
Are we commoditizing happiness?
If we do a, b and c – we’ll be happy.
How are we measuring success?
By what you have acquired or achieved?
How might we rethink happiness?
If the goal is not to find happiness.
1 DESIGN FOR FLEXIBLITY The meaning of happiness shifts
over the life course.
People often assume that
happiness is one thing.
But the meaning of
happiness shifts
across the life course.
DESIGNING HAPPINESS | © JENNIFER AAKER
Harris and Kamvar; WeFeelFine (2010)
When our meaning of
happiness shifts, we
begin to search for
different things.
THE PROMISE
Excitement
discovery
THE PROMISE
Conquer the world
pursuit
THE PROMISE
Work+family+health
balance
THE PROMISE
Significance
impact
As a brand, what type of
happiness are you
cultivating?
As a company, are you designing
environments where your
employees can shift as their
meaning of happiness shifts?
DESIGNING HAPPINESS | © JENNIFER AAKER D E S I G N I N G H A P P I N E S S / © J E N N I F E R A A K E R D E S I G N I N G H A P P I N E S S / © J E N N I F E R A A K E R D E S I G N I N G H A P P I N E S S / © J E N N I F E R A A K E R
2 DESIGN FOR
MEANINGFULNESS It is a better compass
H a p p i n e s s i s n o t a c h i e v e d b y
c o n s c i o u s p u r s u i t ; i t i s g e n e r a l l y
t h e b y p r o d u c t o f o t h e r a c t i v i t i e s .
B r a v e N e w Wo r l d
A L D O U S H U X L E Y
What is meaningfulness?
Lasting Important
Awe-evoking Often intimidating
How does that work
within companies?
Higher Purpose
Achieved when you feel a part of
something bigger than yourself and
the shared goal matters significantly.
H
A
P
I
Feeling that you are part of something
meaningful. Achieved when you feel a part of
something bigger than yourself and where the
shared goal matters significantly.
Cultivating meaningful relationships. Achieved
through shared experiences where collaboration
is meaningful, innovative, and fun.
Perceiving that you are in control of your future
path, able to work on what you’re good at while
learning new skills. Achieved when you feel you
have the trust from yourself and others to make
critical decisions.
Having your work touch the lives of others.
Achieved when you feel valued and see the
concrete, measurable, positive difference that
you’re actions have on others as you drive toward
excellence.
Higher Purpose
Autonomy Impact
People
Drivers of happiness
Fear
Confusion
Lack of control
Loneliness
Higher Purpose
Autonomy Impact
People
Drivers Kryptonites
People Impact Autonomy
Companies resemble their leaders
John Mackey WHOLE FOODS
Larry Page GOOGLE
Tony Hsieh ZAPPOS
Steve Jobs APPLE
Higher Purpose
Happiness without
meaning is fleeting.
Aim for meaningfulness.
3 DESIGN FOR MOMENTS Small moments matter more than
we think.
“I am happy when we have family movie night.” Devon Smith
3 1 Frederickson (2009)
EXPECTATIONS
PERFORMANCE
GAP HAPPINESS
Create surprising moments of
authentic happiness.
How are you creating
small moments of delight?
4 DESIGN FOR STORIES The stories we tell ourselves affect
the happiness we feel.
Studies show that a person with an
incoherent story is more
likely to experience depression
Crossley (2000)
Photo: Hector Garcia
Is it the same for
corporations?
So how do we cultivate a
coherent story?
Know your story.
Photo: Jose Valiente
Your past stories.
Your present stories.
Photo: Fatma M.
Photo: Daniel Silviera
Your future stories.
What is the throughline.
Make your customer
integral to the story.
Photo: Bethan
Brands too often make the
mistake of trying to be the hero.
D E S I G N I N G H A P P I N E S | ™ J E N N I F E R A A K E R
The customer is
the hero.
Don’t manufacture
your story.
Photo: Xevi V.
When you share the story,
you need to feel authentic.
People can tell when you aren’t.
3 DESIGN FOR MOMENTS Simple things matter.
Employees must believe
(and be inspired by) the story.
Protagonists make a story relatable
Brands often feel manufactured.
People do not.
There will be a time when you
need a new story.
Angelina Jolie
Use stories.
They are engines of
growth and innovation.
Stories help customers
make the jump to
where you’re going.
A good story is like a
roller coaster.
Bank your stories
They are assets.
What are your
signature stories?
What stories reveal
suffering and transformation?
What stories are a part of
something larger?
So, in sum…
We think we can attain happiness.
And often ask, how can I get happier?
But people don’t know what really makes
them happy (although they think they do).
Rather than trying to get happy or be
happier, could we rethink happiness?
BOOKS
Annette Simmons
Jack Maguire
John Walsh
Stephen Denning
Julie Fuoti & Lisa Johnson
Nancy Duarte
Nancy Duarte
Andy Goodman
Jennifer Aaker and Andy Smith
Robert McKee
Chip & Dan Heath
Jonathan Harris & Sep Kamvar
HOW TO TELL A
WORKBOOK
Thank you